“PIERCE MY EAR”
(Deuteronomy 15:1 – 18:22)
If your brother, a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you, he shall serve you six years, and in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you. . . You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this today. But if he says to you, ‘I will not go out from you,’ because he loves you and your household, since he is well-off with you, then you shall take an awl, and put it through his ear into the door, and he shall be your slave forever. – Deuteronomy 15:12, 15-17
Popular radio host and financial advisor, Dave Ramsey, has listeners call his show who have used his plan to pay off their debts. Their celebratory shout is, “We’re debt free!” Then Dave plays a soundtrack that screams, “Freeeedommmm!” It is a life-changing moment.
Israel’s calendar was built around a seven-year cycle. God required several things to happen on that Sabbatical year, one of them being that all bond-slave’s debts were forgiven. Today’s reading tells us that when the slave was offered their freedom they could choose to surrender that right and, out of love for his master, remain a slave forever. The sign and seal of that relationship was that his ear would be pierced through.
This points us to the gospel, where Jesus Christ forgives the greatest debt of all—our sin. Colossians 2:14 tells us that He “canceled the record of debt that stood against us… nailing it to the cross.” Through Jesus, our sins are wiped away, and we are no longer bound by the weight of guilt and condemnation. The forgiveness Israel experienced every seven years is now available to us daily through Christ!
Today’s reading mirrors the freedom we receive in Christ. Jesus said, “Everyone who sins is a slave to sin” (John 8:34), but through His sacrifice, we are no longer slaves but sons and daughters of God. Our chains are broken, and we are given new life. However, just as some slaves chose to stay with their masters out of love, we also willingly become bondservants of Christ, joyfully serving the One who freed us.
So let’s walk in the “freeeedommmm” that Christ has given us. The year of the Lord’s favor has come.
Pray for…
- A heart of gratitude for our freedom in Christ and our sin-debt canceled.
- A willingness to serve Christ as his bond-slave born from a heart of love toward Him. “Pierce my ear, Lord. Mark me forever Yours.”
- A spirit of celebration – the year of the Lord’s favor has come! Let my life be a joyful testimony of His grace, proclaiming His salvation to the world.
About our Author
John A Pra was born and raised in Queens, NY and has lived almost all of his life in the metropolitan area. After graduating from Bible college (now University of Valley Forge) he entered into full-time pastoral ministry. John and his wife, Diana, have been living in Carlstadt since 1990, pastoring Cornerstone Church and now at Transformation Life Church since 2022.
John and Diana have been married for 39 years and have three children and one granddaughter (who owns them). Besides loving time spent with family, he enjoys sports, reading, travel, and the golf course.
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